Kentucky State Police promotes 31 troopers and officers

KSP's mission, is to create a better Kentucky through public safety efforts and service to all Kentuckians.

Frankfort, Ky (WTVQ): Kentucky State Police promoted 31 troopers and officers on Thursday morning. KSP’s stated mission is to create a better Kentucky through public safety efforts and service to all Kentuckians. The ceremony included the promotion of one lieutenant colonel, five majors, two captains, and 10 lieutenants, and 14 sergeants.

Robert Purdy who was promoted to lieutenant has worked for KSP for more than 15 years. “My grandfather died in the line of duty with the Oregon State Police in 1975,” he said. “He was actually the rank of lieutenant which is what I got promoted to today.”

After his grandfather passed, Purdy’s family was awarded with the life-saving award.

“Since I was about five years old, I knew that being a trooper was what I wanted to do, and I get to carry out my dream every day that I go to work,”   he said.

Paul Blanton, KSP Public Affairs Commander, says “New supervisors are going into it gives a new set of eyes a fresh set of eyes, to maybe look at a problem in an area or in a community to bring a solution to that problem.”

The troopers promoted all have decades of experience. According to KSP, these promotions open up the opportunity for someone else to move up down the road.

Purdy started out as a cadet and worked a variety of different roles for the agency. “Now to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant to just have the opportunity to help move the agency forward is quite a humbling experience,” he said.

Blanton says this last graduating class of cadets was one of the largest the academy has seen.